


Carved Memories

by Dellessa



Series: Halfling Chronicles [6]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Crack Treated Seriously, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 01:49:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5987974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dellessa/pseuds/Dellessa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt- Maine pov before Delta stolen and after they are reunited.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carved Memories

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thepheonixqueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepheonixqueen/gifts).



Maine held onto Delta tight in his sleep. The halfling wormed closer, trying to suck in the warmth Maine’s body gave off. He was always a cold little thing, had been since they were children, and Maine had loved him even then. He his his face against the downy hair on the crown of Delta’s head, and was thankful for the millionth time he had not listened to his father. The man had never agreed with their relationship. He had not liked the little halfling teaching him to read (clearly a waste of time), or him protecting Delta from the town bullies (a waste of energy), and he certainly had not agreed to the handfasting (it was a phase and he would find a good maid to settle down with, and have a herd of kids).

Maine did not want any of the things that his father planned for him, or the normal life that was laid out, no he wanted Delta. He had left his father’s house as soon as he was able to apprentice with the town’s woodcarver, and was a journeyman by the time he was sixteen. He smiled remembering that. It had not been hard to convince Delta to come with him during his journeyman years. They both used them well, Delta learning more of his own craft (apothecary).

Delta had sat at the back of the guild hall when he had presented his master work and been inducted into the guild, and he had waited in the hall while Delta had passed his own tests. By the time they finally returned home to set up shop they were both masters of their own crafts. 

Maine held onto Delta’s hand, the one that still wore his masterwork, an ornate ring carved like the finest lace. It was small, and delicate looking, but surprisingly strong. It was carved from Ironwood, and he had presented it to Delta for their handfasting (which his father did not attend, no loss there).  
“Something wrong, Matt? I can feel you thinking hard.” 

“No, love. Go back to sleep.” 

Delta turned in his arms, a sleepy smile, “Matthias Ogden, are you up to something?” He leaned in, giving him a chaste kiss, which did not stay chaste long at all. 

“No, Elvea Aryante, I surely am not.” Maine rolled them over, pressing the lithe body beneath him into the soft down of the bed. “Just thinking, as I said. Thinking you would look good moaning beneath me.” 

Delta opened his mouth, letting out a little breathy sigh, “Please.” 

“You only had to ask,” Maine hummed, and went to work.

oOoOoOo

Maine was in his workshop adding the finishing touches to the anniversary gift that he had been making for Delta (a hair clasp with intricate carving to match his handfasting ring), when he heard the scream that would tear his world apart. It felt like his heart stopped. He had ran out of the workshop to see Delta slung over the saddle of a Drow’s horse, tied up and screaming. That sound haunted him in his sleep for years afterward, even after he had found Delta again.

He ran after the horses, but he could not keep pace. There was no hope for it. He had fallen to the ground, crying in a way he had not since he was a small child. 

He walked back to their home, in a daze. He wandered through the mess that was Delta’s workshop, and nearly cried again when he found Delta’s ring lying on a pile of spilled herbs. He put it on his littlest finger, packed up his old journeyman pack, and locked up the house and workshops before setting out to find his mate. 

He tracked them through the woods. He was no expert, but they didn’t bother to hide their route. He went from inn to inn, asking about them. Sometimes he was lucky and they would point the way, and he would pick up tidbits of information, other days less so.

After a month's journey he walked into an inn called the Rose and Swan. As always he asked the owner of the establishment about the Drow’s, and was stopped by a pair of men when he went to find a table to have a drink. 

“What do you want?” He asked as they sat down at the table across for him, a tall blonde in Northerner’s clothes, and a shorter man that looked like he was one of the nobility of Lancia.

“We can help you. Hargrove took our mate as well, we’ve been tracking him for a couple of months, and we are on our way to our mate’s father’s home...to raise an army.” The shorter of the two offered his hand, and after a moment Main took it. “I’m York, and this is North. How are you with a sword?” 

“Not well, but fists and axe if you will have them.” 

“Gladly,” the one called North said. “We leave in the morning.” 

Maine nodded, “Yes.” He felt relieved for the first time in months.

oOoOoOo

A month later he found himself following the plan laid out by the Church siblings, or more specifically the eldest, Carolina. He had to admit it was a good plan, but it was hard on many levels. Insinuating himself into Hargrove’s trust, and having Delta so close, but not being able to let him know that he was going to be rescued soon. He had agreed with Caroline though, they all had to be freed, and that took planning.

He, along with North and York mapped out the castle, made copies of the keys, and snuck out each night to report. The days crawled by, each a little harder to get through that the last. 

He hoped Delta could forgive him. He wasn’t too sure that he should. He was nervous. Terrified when their plan finally came together. York lead Delta into the room, and he brought Washington inside. The man fought the whole way, kicking and screaming. 

“Let me go! Fucking let me go. When my mates get here they will kill you all.” Washington screamed and swung at him. 

“Stop fighting!” he had barked, and could tell the moment that Delta recognized his voice. 

“Maine?” Delta shivered, his eyes wide and dilated. The bright green nearly eclipsed by the black.

Maine pushed back his hood, nodding slightly. 

Delta wobbled on his feet. “How?” he croaked.

He heard York answer Washington, but he was on autopilot at that point. He picked up Delta, and answered what questions he was asked, but in truth his head was swimming. Delta was in his arms. He was real, and whole, and breathing. 

When he finally got him out of the castle and the the relative safety of the camp beyond he took it for granted that they would, in fact, be safe. Even there Hargrove tried to take his love from him. He saw Delta struggling for breath then he saw red and ripped away the collar. 

They brought Washington in and he was on autopilot again. He watched the other halfling, and pulled Delta into his arms, rocking him to sleep. His heart was racing even after York and North came back to claim their own mate.

“Maine?” Delta asked in a tiny voice. “Are you okay?” 

“Sleep.” 

“No, sweetheart. I’d rather talk to you. I was so---so scared I’d never see you again.” Delta looked up at him with red rimmed eyes, and cuddled as close as he could get. “I love you so-so m-much and I never thought---they said they had killed you. I didn’t want to believe them, but then you never came---and I thought---I thought---” 

“Shhhh...safe.” 

“I lost the ring,” Delta whimpered. 

Maine smiled at that. He pulled a pouch tied to to a necklace out of his shirt and handed it to Delta. “Open it.” 

Delta’s hands shook as he pulled the drawstrings, and fished around in the little pouch. He let out a gasp as Maine took the ring from him and put the ring onto Delta’s finger. 

“Love you. So much.” Maine tilted Delta’s chin up, claiming a kiss. Delta’s lips were warm against his own, perhaps more compliant than before, but he knew he would do everything in his power to get the sparkle back in his mate’s eyes. 

“I love you too, Matt.” He reached up, touching Maine’s face gently. “I’m sorry I d-didn’t fight harder. I-I could understand if you d-didn’t want me anymore.” 

Maine growled at that. His hand settled over Delta’s. “No. Never think that. Never, Elvea. You are mine and I am yours.” 

“Always, and Always,” Delta whispered hoarsely.

“Yes. Don’t forget.” Maine admonished. His fingers wove their way into Delta’s strawberry blonde hair, and massaged his scalp until Delta’s eyelids began to droop and he hummed in pleasure. “Sleep now?” 

“I’ll try. I’m not sure. This doesn’t feel very safe,” he whispered.

“Felix and Locus are locked away.” 

“Hargrove isn’t,” Delta said in a tiny voice. 

“I will watch over you while you sleep then.” Maine gently pet his hair, “Sleep, love.” 

Delta finally relaxed completely, and drifted off to sleep in his arms.

oOoOoOo

The trip from Charon to Valhalla was a long one. They traveled to Moi first, the capital of Lancia, and left most of the Church siblings behind. They picked up caravan wagons, which was a good thing as well, Delta would sleep in those without Maine watching over him. There were locks on the inside, and he would check them three times in a worried succession before finally going back to lay down. It was an improvement. It was better than him not sleeping at all, or waking up screaming. Those nights became fewer the longer they went on. The black rings underneath his eyes faded, along with the bruises on his frame.

Maine watched him as he spoke with the medic. Emily seemed nice enough, and seemed pleased with the Delta’s progress, at least physically. “Could you clear out for a bit, hun,” Emily said, “I just need to check him over.” 

Normally he would have stayed, but the pleading look on Delta’s face had him moving outside and shutting the door behind him. In a way he could understand. It still worried him. There had never been this much space between them, this many things left unsaid.  
Emily came out soon enough. “You can go back in,” she said in a quiet voice. “He’s all healed, but...I would advise taking things slow.” 

“Body healed, but mind and heart not,” Matthias said with a heavy sigh.

“Exactly so, my dear. He is very fragile right now, and I fear he will be for a long time yet.” Emily patted him on the shoulder. “If you need anything you know where to find me.” 

Maine nodded, and stared at the door for a minute before finally going in. “Elvea?” 

“I’m here. I’m f-fine,” Delta gave him a wavery smile.

Maine sat down beside him, pulling him into his lap, and rocking him until his trembling stopped. 

“I---I’m sorry. I’m being such a baby.”

“No. Never. Delta went through a lot. Too much not to be hurt.” He rubbed Delta’s back gently. “In this together.” 

“I know,” Delta said in a husky voice. “I’m just...I’m a mess. I feel like I’m letting you down.” He took a deep breath, “I---I feel like I’ve lost myself.” 

“You’ll find it. Just takes time.” 

Delta looked up, “Thank you. I know I’m not being very logical, but I just can’t seem to. I can’t, Matt. I can’t.” 

“It’s fine.” He pet Delta’s hair gently. 

“It’s really not,” Delta sighed. “I hate this. i just want things to go back to normal.”

oOoOoOo

When they finally reached the tundra Delta rarely left the wagon. He stoked the little stove with wood Maine brought him, and curled up in the furs, and wondered how anyone would want to exist like this. The wagon, at least, stayed toasty warm.

He burrowed deeper into the covers and waited until the wagon finally stopped for the day, slipping in and out of sleep. By the time they finally came to a stop his stomach was rumbling loudly. 

Maine eventually opened the door, bringing dinner with him. He placed a bowl of stew in Delta’s hands. “Hungry?” 

“Starving,” Delta said, and patted the spot beside him on the bed. Main said down, and Delta cuddled up to him, soaking in the warmth Maine’s body put off. “I missed you too.” 

“Could walk with us. You have winter clothes,” Maine pointed out. “Could ride with me.”

Delta pulled a face. It wasn’t that he didn’t like horses. “You could ride in the wagon with me.” 

Maine snorted. “Expected to ride and help, Delta. Can’t ride in the wagon.” 

Delta’s shoulders hunched. “I know, but I wish you could. I wish we could go home, but there probably isn’t even a home to go back to.” His eyes filled with tears. 

Maine pulled him close, rubbing his back while he cried. “Home is wherever we are together, Delta.” 

“I know, I know. I just...can’t forget what we lost. What you lost. I’m so sorry, Matt. We left the furniture you made, o-our marriage b-bed, my garden. I miss home.”

Maine hummed, “Replaceable. Delta is not.” 

Delta wiped at his eyes, and turned in Maine’s arms, pressing himself against him. He claimed a kiss, nipping at Maine’s lips, his jawline, and his neck. His breath came sharp and fast until Maine’s hands settled on his hips. He made a squeaking noise and jerked away, scrambling off of Maine’s lap and out of touching range. 

“Oh...oh frag. I’m so sorry, Maine. I’m s-sorry.” 

“Sh....come back,” Maine cajoled. “Moved too fast. Come back, please. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”

Delta shifted from foot to foot, before moving close. “I don’t want to ruin this too,” he whispered.

“They won’t.” Maine promised. 

“You don’t know that, Matthias.” 

“I do, Elvea. We have made it through hard times before, we will make it.” 

Delta leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together, “You are right, we have. We can do this.” 

Matthias Ogden grinned, “We will. We are strong Delta, and I brought all we need to start again. Your master book, and your seed case.” 

Delta leaned away, trembling, “What? WHAT? Show me?” He climbed off of Maine’s lap. “Show me now.” 

Maine got off of the bed, and reached up into the cabinet above it. He pulled out the pack and laid it out on the table. It had their most important things in it. The book that Delta had presented as his master work, a wooden box containing Delta’s heirloom seeds, the ornate shears his parents had presented him for their wedding, Maine’s carving tools, his favorite jade mortar and pestle wrapped in his mother’s kerchief, the scroll recording their marriage and the one recording Delta’s family tree, and the balm he had made for Maine the morning that he was taken in a little ceramic tub. There was so much more than Delta expected.

“I made you this for you for our anniversary,” Maine said, and pressed the hair clasp that he had made for Delta into his hand. 

“It’s beautiful.” Delta’s fingers traced the whorls and curlicues. “It matches my ring.” 

Maine reached out, petting Delta’s hair, “Not as beautiful as you.” 

Delta threw his arms around Matthias’ neck, kissing him soundly. “I love you so much.” 

“I love you, too. I don’t say it enough, maybe, but I do.”


End file.
